, 1887-12-07
WASHINGTON NOTES.
FISAL PREPARATIONS.

WASHINGTON, Dec, ga fully attended
caucus of democratic senators convened
this afternoon to hear the final report of
the COMMITTEES appointed to outline plan
OF action with regard to the admission of
the new democratic senators against whose
title some question has been raised. The
eOmmittee, consisting Of Senators Pugh
Blackburn, Harris and Vest, reported that
IL had CAREFUL considered the facts in the
cases OF Senators Turpie of Indiana, Faulk.
ner of West Virginia, and all other new
democratic senators, and reached the con-
slusion that all were fully entitled to their
seats. 1t was unanimously resolved that
she entire list OF new democratic senators
were entitled TO Their seats, and in so far as
democrats could influence the matter they
should be sworn in Monday. 1t was the
unanimous opinion of the caucus that no
departure from precedent should be made,
and no obstacle to the admission of all sen.
ators elect should he Anticipated.
The committee also reported that it had
examined all the credentials OF republican
eenators-elect and found several ulun which
objections could legitimately be based. The
facts were laid before the caucus and dis.
cussed but the defects being merely techn-
shl, II was determined to make no objection
unless objections were made by republi-
cans to the admission of democrats An
understanding was reached, however, that,
should the admission OF any democrat SEN
stor be objected to. the party would act as
seem to require. 1t was made known
that the democrat held the advantage, in
fact that Senator Jones of Nevada is abs .nt
paired with Senator Hearst, who begins the
new term and is therefore not yet sena.
tor. Upon request of republicans
the caucus at once assembled to propo-
sition made by Secretary Kenna who ias
charge of the democratic pairs to pairing
Senator Jc1es with some democrat already
sworn in. This Reduces the voting
strength OF each party to twenty-four. Sen.
ators Beck and kenna were elected respec.
lively chairman and secretary of the demo-
sSatic caucus TO serve during the coming
session.
IMPORTANT REPORT.
The first annual report of the interstate.
commerce commission has been laid before
the secretary of the interior. After dealing
briefly with the magnitude OF the inteIests
which the act undertakes to regulate, the
commission devotes a dozen pages to a his.
tory oi the country's transportation fatili-
lies, from the pau horse and coach of the
earliest days ~ the mammoth institutions
of the present year, tracing back to their
origin all these uses and abuses which fin
ally led to the passage OF tue Interstate COM
merce act. The commission says some of
the railroad practices which the act under
takes to bring To an end have been common
among carriers by water also, and IL wrong
in themselves might justly be forbidden in
their. cases. The commissions Of opinion.
express business done by the rairC al COM
psnies themselves is within the act. Wlieth
or express companies which are independ-
snt OF the railroads are within the contem- !
platiOn OF the act is more doubtful.
In regard to sleeping car companies, live
stock car companies, and oil companies,
which transport in tank cars, the commits.
siouers say they are as much subject to
discrimination rs the railroads are, and the
fact Is laid before Congress for such action
as it may choose to take. The long and
sho. haul clause is cxhaustively
discuss cd. together with the reasons OF the
commission for temporarily suspening the
s'rovisons in certain sections. They say
Ia part, the consequences which were intu-
Sn.ial in determining when these Temporal
sary orders should be granted were not
nuore for the relief of carriers from danger
and loss, than for the prevention OF threat
ened disturbance of business interests in GER
tain localities. which by its reflex action,
retued liable to embarrass the whole coun-
try. The commission takes pleasure in be-
,ug able TO report that In large sections Of
che country, in obedience to the general
letter of the 4th section, they have been re-
viowing railroad operations during the per
Tod which has elapsed since the act took
effect. The comm Mission says that while less
has been done in the direction of bringing
freight tariffs into conformity with the gen.
srai rule prescribed by the 4th section
than some persons ex pected there has,
severcheless been q gratifying advance in
thot direction, and there is every reason to
heliuve that this will continue.
The commi ission, after quoting the sec
Hon which empowers them to Enquire
INTO the business of all common carriers,
avs: "This is an importan provision and
M com mission no doubt have had fre-
.uent occasion to take action under 1t.
fhsre is every reason to believe that some
Il the most serious actions which were no.
ii nus i'm railway service before the pas
~re of the act and were In Legislative
~3udv as reasons for its enactment, nave
sost ceased to exist. One OF tness "As